Safety sea suit



A. V. SIMS SAFETY SEA SUIT Filed April 25 1918 5 Sheets-Sheet. 1

v INVENTOR.

harem/Ev v. SIMS SAFETY SEA SUIT Filed April 25 1918 3 $heets$heet 2 v INVEIiVIOR.

WESSES:

Oct. 14- 19240 A. J. SEMS SAFETY SEA SUIT Filed April 25 1918 3 Sheets-$heet 5 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented (Jet. 14, 1924:.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED V. SIMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY SEA SUIT.

Application filed April 25, 1918. Serial No. 230,687.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A FRED V. SIMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improve ments in Safety Sea Suits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to equipment for supporting a person at the surface of the sea and also for preventing the'water from coming in contact with the body of the person or with suflicient thereof to cause injurious effects from exposure. Accord- 'ingly the invention contemplates a suit of waterproof material, the openings necessary for the donning and doffing of the suit by the wearer, those through which the head and limbs protrude, and in fact all openings whatever are closed in a water-tight manner so that no water or substantially no water, can gain access to the interior of the suit.

The main object of the invention is to provide an opening in the suit whereby the wearer can easily get into and out of it with improved means for rendering the opening watertight after the suit has been adjusted upon the wearer.

A further object is to provide for opening the suit when on the wearer, to afford ventilation to prevent overheating of the person where the suit is worn through extended periods as when passing through a region dangerous on account of submarines or for other reasons.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved reenforcing means for the edges of openings.

A. further object of the invention is to provide improved means for uniting the edges of the openings in a watertight manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for making watertight closures about the limbs as at the neck, etc.

A further object of the invention is to place the weights for maintaining the body upright, above the feet so as not to interfere with the movements of a person wearing the suit as would be the case if the weights were below or at the feet.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for supporting the weights.

A further object of the invention is to construct and arrange the float pads that they shall not become unsanitary by reason of absorption of perspiration.

Other and ancillary objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a person with the suit drawn partially on;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the suit adjusted on the wearer but with the front still open, this view also showing how the suit may be opened for ventilation;

Fig. 3 is a similar view with one side of the front opening closed in;

Fig. 4 is a similar view with suit entirely closed and adjusted upon the wearer;

Fig. 5 is a side view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the suit upon a wearer;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the front of the suit showing the manner of opening and closing it;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing detached the reenforcement and fastenings for the edges of the suit front opening and its closure;

Fig. 8 is a modified form of reenforcement and securing means;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section from front to back, of the suit, on an enlarged scale, showing the structure at the neck and the arrangement of float pads;

Fig. 10 is a still further enlargement of a fragment of F 9;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing a modified reenforcement for the closure;

Fig. 12 is a similar View showing a modified form of closure;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective View showing a modified form of securing means for the top edge of the front closure, it being shown in open position;

Fig. 14 is a similar view showing the securing means in closed position;

Fig. 15 is a section on an enlarged scale, on the line 1515 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a front view of the upper portion of a suit, partly broken away, showing the manner of application of the securing means ofFigs. 13-15 inclusive;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a device for forming a water tight closure about a limb, particularly the leg where it is subjected to rough treatment when drawing it on over a shoe; and I Fig.18 is a perspective view of a device for forminga watertight closure about a limb where it is not likely to be roughly treated as aboutthe wrist.

Referring to the drawings, the suit therein shown is one which is adapted to envelope the body of the wearer from the soles of the feet to the neck in such manner as to preventwater from entering therein to come in contact with and chill the body of the wearer. Alsobuoyant devices such as pads, are provided, to maintain the wearer at the surface of the water or at least to maintain his head above the surface. The suit comprises foot portions 1 from which extend the trousers 2 formed in one'piece with the jacket 3. The suit, including the feet, leg, and body coverings as indicated, may be made of rubber or other suitable waterproof material. In order that the wearer of the suit easily get intoand out of it, the suit is open at the front. Not'only is the jacket centrally and vertically cut from the neck tothe lower part of the body, but is also cut in both directions laterally therefrom along the lines 4 and 5. The ecges i and 5' are stiffened by reenforcernents, as will be hereinafter referred to,which are hinged at 6 and 7 respectively to reenforcing members 8 and 9 iii the edges of the flapsformed by the vertical and lateral slits in the body of the suit. By this means, the reenforcing members 8 and 9 may be turned inwardly carrying the flaps in with them so as to cover the body of the wearer. In order to insure, however, that the front opening in the suit shall be water tight after ithas been adjusted to the wearer, a foldable or bellows like portion 10, is se cured atits bottom' to the body of the jacket and atits sides to theflaps as already referred to, all the joints being water-tight. Also a collar or neck piece 11 is provided which isadapted to so fit the neck of the wearer as to form a watertight joint. its construction will be more in detail referred to hereinafter. Also as will be more in de-- tail explained, the sleeves are adapted to form a watertight joint with the wrists of the wearer, or may be made integral with gloves or mittens. The leggings 12 are provided, these serving to gather in the legs of the suit neatly about the limbs of the wear and further may'bemade-with longitudinal pockets or otherwise adapted to have Weights secured to them so that the body of the'wearer wi11 be maintained in an up right position inthe water. These leggings may be secured to the suit by means of straps and buckles 13 and gathered in at the ankles and knees by suitable encircling straps as lei and 14 The buo yantpads or floats may be of any suitable padding or other material which may be attached to the suit so as to be placed in position on the wearer when the suit is donned and comprises pads 15 and 16 at the front and pad 17 at the back of the wearer.

At its top,'the bellows portion 10, has its edges l8, l9 and 20 stiffened by suitable reenforcing, such as a rod formed by tightly coiling a wire. By regulating the, stiffness and coiling of the wire any desired stiffness of the reenforcement and also flexibility 9f the edges may be securecl. After thisrod which passes continuously through the edges 18, 19 and 20, has been bent or jointedat the corners where the edges 18"and 20 join the edge 19, a more or less permanent set will be imparted so that the corners are dc whereinv it will be seen that the reenfercing member for the edge d comprises two longitudinal pieces 23 and 24:, in this case curved toward the body, secured together at their ends and having a space'25 between them. At one end the member comprising the bars 23 and 24 has a terminal 26. with a slot adapted to receive a stud 27 projecting from a plate 28 which forms the terminal of the bars 29 and 30, which the reenforcement for the edge 5, the bars 29 and 30 having the space 31 between them, and are secured to the suit at thevlateral slits near the base of the neck piece on the righthand portion of the vertical opening (see Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive) so that when the terminal. 26 is secured to the stud the right and left hand portions stiffeners 32 and 33 may consist/of coiled wire so that, while still, they may have some flexibility. "At the ends of the stiffeners 32 and 33 are the terminals 341 and 35 adapted to be moved into engagement with the stud 27 by vertical movement. It will be observed" that the terminal 2.6 has a horizontally extending slot to be moved into engagement with the stud a horizontal movement. The 1 stiffener-s comprising the rods 23,24 30'are preferably curved so as to easily adjust themselves to the body of the wearer. Also when the stiffening members 32 and33 are swung inwardly, their terminals engage with the stud and are clamped by the nut 36 on the stud, the members 32 and 33 tending to enter into the spaces 25 and 31 between the bars so that any fabric edge interposed between the members is tightly clam ed between them. The material of the suit eing carried about the reenforcement of the edges 4 and 5, it will be apparent that any fabric edge will be tightly clamped to the edge 4 so that a watertight joint will be formed.

The reenforcements 37, 38 and 39 for the edges 18, 19 and 20 respectively, are co1nposed of a helical wire as before stated, being hinged at its ends to the ends of the members 32 and 33.

The collar piece 11 is joined in a water tight manner to the garment and may be opened at the front to permit the donning of the suit by the wearer. position upon the wearer, the front is closed by the overlapping of the front ends of the collar piece, one of them 40, having attached a strap containing a buckle for adjusting its length and to the end of which a suitable hook or button hole for attaching to the suit above the side of the center. The collar is padded with sponge rubber 41 as shown. The use of sponge rubber is of peculiar importanc for the reason that other forms of rubber while elastic to a tensile strain, are substantially incompressible. For this reason, tightness may be secured by the latter forms of rubber, such as a rubber band, about a member such for instance as the neck of the wearer, by subjecting the band to a tension. Its resilience will then cause it to draw tightly around the member. This might result in inconvenience, if not positive danger to the wearer, and in View of the fact that the band will bridge any holes or cavities over which it will pass, its very object of producing a tight joint may be defeated. Sponge rubber on the other hand is easily compressible and consequently does not require to be drawn tightly about the object against which it is to be pressed. A. comparatively slight pressure is sufficient. Furthermore the sponge rubber being laterally elastic, will flow into any hollows or channels so as to fill them and make a reliable water tight joint throughout.

The front of the suit being opened and the neck band released, the nether portions of the garments may be pulled on after the manner of a pair of trousers or union suit, by handles 42 and 43 secured to the inside of the suit, Figure 1 representing the wearer with the garment thus partially drawn on. The arms may then be thrust through the sleeves of the jacket and the collar or neck piece secured about the neck of the wearer by entering the terminal 26 about the stud 27 and securing the buckle and strap on the fiap portion. The parts will then be in position as is shown in Fig. 2. The edge 19 of Nhen the suit is in in Fig. 3 showing where one of the flaps has been folded in against the body, the other flap not having been so folded. The terminals 34 and 35 are then hooked over the stud 27 and the thumb nut 36 is screwed up tightly against them. The top folded edge of the bellows is then securely clamped between the members 32 and 33 on the one hand and the members comprising the bars 23, 24, 29 and 30 on the other hand. A water tight joint is thus secured and this result is further secured by providing sponge rubber 44 in the edges 18, 19 and 20 of the bellows. Fig. 4 shows the suit completely fitted to the wearer. Fig. 5 shows the back float pad upon the inside of the garment. In Fig. 9 the floats 46 and 46 are shown as separated from the body of the wearer by the material of the suit, i. e., by a coating impervious to moisture. The float pads are thus prevented from absorbing perspiration which renders the suit cleaner and more sanitary. Heretofore the member 32 has been referred to as consisting of a coiled wireit may be difiicult under some eircumstances, however, to secure sufficient stiffness in such a structure to clamp the upper edge of the bellows with sufficient tightness. To give such stiffness a core 45 (see Fig. 8) may be inserted in the coil to give lateral stiffness. As shown in Fig. 8 the core 45 is hinged at one end to the bars 23 and 24 so that the desired lateral reenforcement is secured and the coiled wire 32, which is on the one hand secured to the core 45, and on the other hand is secured to the terminal 34, is extensible longitudinally so that the fitting of the terminal 34 on to the stud 27 is facilitated.

It has been before noted that if the corners at 6 and 7 of the suit be not snugly filled, completing a filling all along the edges 4 and 5 when the suit is closed, there will be danger of a leak. It is possible that under some circi'inistances the ends of the part 19 which would otherwise fill these corners, might sag a little. To guard against this, the structure as shown in Fig. 11. may be adopted wherein the edge of the outermost portion of the bellows which reaches across from the hinge 6 to the hinge 7 is provided with a re-enforcing bar 47 having extensions 48 and 49 which extend beyond the edge of the bellows portion just referred to so that when the-bellows is folded inwardly the ex tension 48 and 49 extend over the hinges 6 and 7 and prevent sagging as referred to.

It may be that a more extensive opening in the front of the suit may be desired than is provided by the folds already referred to. In such case more extensive bellows such as 50 may be provided which operates in the same manner as before described except that each side portion of the bellows is reriezied twice instead of once so that it has the addi tional folds 51 and 52.

To support the weighted leggings as above referred to, straps or suspenders 53. passing over the shoulders of the wearer or otherwise attached to the inside of the garment, mechanically communicate through the trouser legs in a water tight manner with the straps 13 secured to the leggings. Pockets 55 may be provided for carrying rations or for other purposes.

It may be found desirable that instead of, or in addition to, the threading of the stud through the hole 43 in the upper edge of the bellows portion, that a tongue be extended upwardly along the collar piece, and this may be either inside or outside; especially is this the case where the collar is closed by edges meeting or but slightly overlapping in the front. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 18 and 1e wherein a tongue 56 extends upwardly from the central portion of the bellows 57 and 58 representing the reenforcement for the top edges of the bellows portion in a manner as before referred to. The tongue 56, if it eX- tends up on the inside of the collar will, by the tightness of the collar, be forced against the collar and close the seam at thefront. If the tongue is at the outside of the collar, it may be clamped down against the collar by any suitable means such as a strap secured to the collar at one side and adapted to receive the tongue beneath it, the other end of the strap being secured by a buckle to the other side of the collar. The reenforcements 57 and 58 are of coiled spring wire and are respectively secured to the portions of the hinge 59. They are moreover given such a torsional bias that when they are brought together they twist tightly about each other (see Fig. 14.), so that the edges of the bellows fabric which are respectively secured about the members 57 and 58 will be rolled together into a water tight joint. This renders the water tight closing of the bellows automatic and the operation of opening out the bellows causes unwinding of the members 57 and 58. The hinge 59 is of such structure that it will limit the opening of the hinge to such position that the members 57 and 58 are substantially in line. If the hinge were permitted unlimited turning the member 58 might come adjacent to 57 on the reverse side, and, these members twisting together, increase the difficulty of properly adjusting the suit or, with ineflicient persons, perhaps Will not become properly adjusted. In Fig. 16 is shown the upper portion of a suit having a bellows 60 similar to the bellows 10 of Figs. 1, etc., the water tight closing of the top of the bellows being effected by the twisting of the edges at 61 as above referred to. The necessity for clamping the top of the bellows as in Figs. 1, etc, not being present in the structure of Fig. 16, the lateral slits from the central opening of the jacket are not necessary and may be omitted. Such a slit 62 may, however, be provided for the purpose of permitting more free and extensive opening of the suit and also to permit the front to be opened for ventilation without loosening the neck. The tongue 56 may be provided with studs 63 extending through I the garment and clamped thereto by suitable thumb nuts like 36. V

A water tight joint may be made between the limb of the wearer and the suit by means of the device shown in Fig. 1-8. This consists of a split sleeve 64 of flexible material having the edges of the split joinedin a water tight manner by a flexible web 65. This maintains the sleeve water tight from end to end while permitting it to be drawn tightly about by the strap 66 which can then be secured by a buckle or in any suitable manner. It will be seen that the suit of Figs. 1, etc., has ends, as shown in Fig. 18, at the ends of the sleeves so that water tight joints may be formed at the wrists of the wearer. Thesuit of Figs. 1, etc.,extends to encase the feet but in somecases it is desirable to have the feet and more or less of the legs of the wearer out side the suit. The ends of the leg portions of the suit may then advantageously terminate in cuffs as described whereby the ends of the leg portions may be securedto the limbs of the wearer in a water tight manner. In forcing the foot, usually with the shoe on, through a leg equipped with this cuff, however, the web is very apt to be torn or torn from the sleeve. To avoid this a sleeve of strong protective material such as canvas, is secured at its upper edge to the inside of the split sleeve near the top and hangs downwardly, the lower end being free. This modification is shown in Fig. 17 wherein 67 indicates the protective sleeve,

64 the split sleeve and 66 the binding which are from the waist down, tend to raise the lower part of the wearer, and hence necessitate the increasing of the weights about the feet to maintain the wearer upright. If the foot and leg portions are cut ofl, the weights referred. to may be decreased because the buoyant contents of the suit about the feet are decreased and the nearer the lower extremities of the trousers approach the body or upper end of the leg, the less will be this buoyant effect around the lower portions and itmay evenbe that where they are practically no legs n the suit but the suit emremities are substantially at the junction of the legs and body, no weights at all may be required. It has been ascertained that the exposure of the limbs to this extent is usually not detrimental to the wearer so long as the body is kept warm. The ends of the trouser legs may be drawn tightly against the limbs so as to prevent any free flow of water into and out of the suit which would result in a chilling of the wearer, but it is not absolutely necessary that this joint should be water tight so long as a suflicient flow is not permitted to effect the chilling mentioned. Where the suit is put on over clothing and the lower end of the trousers are drawn against the usual cloth trousers, capillary attraction will cause some water to enter in the suit. but this will not be sui'ficient to cause chilling of the wearer, because the water itself in a quies cent condition is not a good conductor of heat and it is only where there can be such a flow of water to replace the warm water inside the suit with cold outside water so frequently as to unduly carry away the heat of the body, that the leakage is dangerous. The slight entrance of water into the suit as referred to may even be beneficial for the reason that the body will be maintained out of the water by the floats of the suit and, except that the capillary attraction in the clothing may have some influence, the water within the suit will only rise within the suit to the level of the outside water. The water thus being confined to the lower portions of the body, it will act in conjunction with the weights to maintain the body upright.

To each arm of the suit may be secured a glove 68 by means of a tape or cord 69 long enough to permit it to be placed upon the hand of the wearer or tucked within the loop 70 on the sleeve. The glove may be provided with a wrist portion the same as the structure of Fig. 18 so that the glove may be closed about the wrist of the wearer in a water tight manner.

A belt 71 may be provided for drawing in the suit at the waist. h

lVhile the invention has been illustrated in what are considered its best applications, it may have other embodiments without departing from its spirit and is not therefore limited to the structures shown in the draw ings.

What I claim is 1. A safety sea suit having floats, the body portion of said suit having a vertical opening and lateral slits therefrom, a bellows secured to the bottom and sides of said opening, to fold when said bellows is closed and having its top portion enter within said slits and means for clamping said top portion in said slits.

2. A safety sea suit having floats, the body portion of said suit having a vertical opening and lateral slits therefrom, a bellows secured to the bottom and sides of said openin said bellows being adapted to fold 'when said bellows is closed and having its top portion enter within said slits, reenforcements in the edges of said slits and means for clamping said reenforcements together against said bellows.

3. A safety sea suit having floats, the body portion of said suit having a vertical opening, a bellows secured at the bottom and sides of said opening, said bellows being adapted to close when said opening is closed, means for releasably closing the top of the bellows and reenforcements in the top edge of the bellows to support the weight and prevent sagging.

4. A safety sea suit having floats, the body portion of said suit having a vertical opening and slits extending lateral therefrom, a bellows secured at the bottom and sides of said opening, said bellows being adapted to fold when said opening is closed and means for releasably clamping the upper end of said bellows in said slits, the top edge of said bellows having a reenforcement extending beyond the ends of the slits within which the bellows is clamped.

5. A safety sea suit having floats, having an opening adapted to be closed and sponge rubber at the edges of said opening to form pads coming against adjacent members in closing the opening to secure a tight joint.

6. A safety sea suit having floats, having an opening at the neck and sponge rubber about the neck band for pressing against the neck of the wearer to form a tight joint when the neck band is pressed against the neck of the wearer.

7. A safety sea suit having floats and weights for maintaining the body of the wearer upright, said weights being located above the feet and straps from the shoulder of said wearer for supporting said weights.

8. A safety sea suit having floats and comprising a jacket portion and a trouser portion and handles upon the inside of the said suit for pulling the trouser portion on to the wearer,

said bellows being adapted safety sea suit having floats and openings; therein for the protrusion of the limbs of the wearer, said openings being surrounded by a split sleeve gboutthe member, and -21 vveb between the sides o f the split, 10. A safety seat suit havingfloats and openings therein for the protrusion of the limbs Of the wearer, said openings being siir rounded by a split sleeveabout the menir, nd a Web bet een he sid s" of he s .1i s eid slilit lee e ha ing an n n s eeve for preventing injury to the split sleeve and Web. I I,

11'- A safety sea suit a ing flo d an opening therein, the edges Of said 0pen the sides of said slit being connected 13. A safety sea suit with openings therein for the protrusion'of the limbs or neck of the em' ,v id openings being rounded by a slit sleeve about the me er Web. v

In te im ny wh reo I have signe this specification this 18th day 9f Apiill9'l8,

ALFRED V. SIMS. 

